The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-02

and might not suit the taste of some in
his own Church and Sunday school. SO
we should give up the uniform idea al
together, and set every pastor to pre-
pairing them for himself. 1t takes a
good deal of time and labor to do this,
and do it well. Not all pastors have
the inclination or time to do this, and
of those who have the time, not all are
competent to do it wisely and well, even
if they think they are.
And if few individuals feel so dis
satisfied that they want to try it, let
them try it. There can be no objection.
| would compel no pastor to use the In
ternational Lessons who does not wish
to use them. l would myself, under
special circumstances, prepare plan
to suit the circumstances. But I do
not see in that any reason why the
Church should change its policy, or
abandon the International Lessons. 1t
is not necessary in order that excep-
tions might be made in special cases.
VIII. Then again, confess have a
sentimental reason for desiring to re-
tain the International Lessons. You
may smile at it !; you may say that it
isn't practical. if it is sentimental. But
sentiment is one of the most practical
things in the world; sometimes the
most powerful, the most moving. l
confess that the thought that the great
Catholic Protestant Christian church
throughout the world are all studying
these same Bible-Lessons from Sab
bath to Sabbath, has great attraction
for me. believe in the "Holy Catho-
lie church," and l believe that all who
accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Master and Saviour, accept historic
Christianity; accept the holy Scriptures
Of the Old and New Testament as rule
and authority in matter of faith and
practice, whether Roman, Greek or Pro-
testant; whether Presby Baptist,
Methodist, Unitarian or Universalist,
are members of it. This church is "the
body of Christ" 1t is imperfect; it is
diseased; it is rent with schisms and
heresies it is divided by different
forms of government, by different
forms of confession of faith. There is
not that agreement in doctrine or in
fraternal feeling that there ought to be;
but there is one great center about
which they revolve, and that center is
the thing which l have mentioned as
constituting the church. 1 feel nearer
a peculiar feeling toward those who
hold this common ground of faith. The
only outward thing that unites us in our
reverence for the great Christian Ami
versaries are these International Les
sons. feel as if these ought to be con-
tinued, and other connections sought
that will unite us more and more, so
far as it can be done without sacrifice
of principle. And so, as the ages roll
on, the prayer of the Saviour may at
last be realized that his disciples may
be one, and the divided body reunited.
And in this final result, 80 far as we
are right, our ideas will not suffer. We
shall have much to gain and nothing
to lose, that we ought not to lose.
And so will it be with all. The Christ
ian truth is in all the churches. Iwel-
come every influence that brings Christ
ians closer together around their COM
mon truth and their common Lord i;
among other agencies to this end, l
recognize the International Lessons,
and therefore, 1 say, let them be con-
tinued.